Each of us is the same soul that we were since our first day on this planet. What has changed is our natural oxidation, gravity's pull on our body, and the wisdom we have gained from our life experiences. Inside, we are still the same little girl or boy, and that is what makes it so hard to both see and accept our own aging process on the outside. Now, let's be frank... not everyone ages the same way. It depends on how we lived our lives, how healthy and mobile we are, and so many other small factors that add up and start to get louder with more years. No matter how we are aging, each of us still desires our freedoms. We see ourselves as independent, even when we might not be able to do everything we used to do. Some of us resist change so much that we ignore the obvious signs that we might be in need for help. People around us either tell us the truth and help us through this phase of our lives, or are afraid to say something and sit back and watch us fail on our own. At some point, we either get the help we need or we become too stubborn for help, and something outside of us happens to force us into receiving the help we truly need. At some point, we may find ourselves in a situation that we never thought we would be in. Life is a teacher, and it always has a way to show us how interconnected we are. There are exceptions to every rule, and people are living much longer than ever before, but for those of us caring for elderly parents or grandparents, it is clear that aging can be challenging for many people.
What is a sign that someone is having a problem accepting the aging process? First of all they stop celebrating birthdays. Just because you don't throw a party, doesn't mean it isn't happening. It is studied that people to who embrace each birthday and celebrate getting older, age with more grace. Another sign is not going to the doctor when there is something worrisome happening in the body. Ignoring anything will only make it worse. Studies show that the quicker we treat health problems, the more easily they are to heal. Another big sign is trying to act or look younger. We see all kinds of plastic surgery, older people dressing "younger", diet pills, injections, and many other techniques that are all temporary fixes. Psychologists report that feeling good about our appearance can boost overall confidence. However, when these measures are overdone, it looks to the outside world that we are trying too hard to fight against our own aging process, and we only end up looking older. We can turn into a cartoon character pretty quickly, and this is a slippery slope that is hard to recover from.
Our chronological age does not always reflect our actual age. Our age reflects how we feel inside. This is why the way we live our lives is so important. Following our truth, living authentically, allowing ourselves to be happy, healthy, and at peace, and not allowing anything or anyone to take that away is our daily job. When we do this, we give ourselves life force. When we don't, we age ourselves. Either way, living in Truth also means accepting each phase of our lives and what life hands us to learn and grow from. When we resist this process, it doesn't stop it or slow it down. Instead, we are forced to move into these changes on the terms of the Universe, and the stress ends up aging us even more. Literally, our connection to feeling vibrant and radiant at each and every age in our wonderful lives is what strengthens immunity and gives our bodies the energy to have a more desired response. It takes much more energy to fight against this natural process.
As we watch our elders go through their aging processes, the best thing we can do is observe and learn. We each get to decide how we respond to life as each year passes, and we also get to witness one another do the same. What does your aging process look like? Are you being honest with yourself and accepting the process, or do you resist aging? There is no right or wrong way, just the way that we chose. May we age with grace and Love each day, as nothing is promised. Aging is a true gift and blessing, and the more we embrace it, the better it gets.
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